AUTHOR=Cuomo Alessandro , Bolognesi Simone , Goracci Arianna , Ciuoli Cristina , Beccarini Crescenzi Bruno , Maina Giuseppe , Rosso Gianluca , Facchi Edvige , Maccora Carla , Giordano Nicola , Verdino Valeria , Fagiolini Andrea 

TITLE=Feasibility, Adherence and Efficacy of Liraglutide Treatment in a Sample of Individuals With Mood Disorders and Obesity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2018

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00784

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00784

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Background
Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable medication approved for the treatment of obesity.  Hereby we report the feasibly, adherence and efficacy of liraglutide treatment in a sample of individuals with mood disorders and obesity.  
Methods and Sample
Twenty-nine patients with Bipolar or Major Depressive Disorder received liraglutide once daily subcutaneously at a dose gradually titrated from 0.6 mg to 3 mg. All patients were obese and had previously failed multiple healthy lifestyle interventions, including exercise and diet programs. Patients’ weight was recorded before liraglutide treatment (T0) and then 1 (T1), 3 (T3), and 6 months (T6) following T0. 
Results
Mean baseline (T0) weight was 110.54 Kg (± 24.95). Compared to baseline, the percentage of weight loss was 3.37 % at T1, 7.85% at T3 and 10.20% at T6. 
Thirty-one percent (n = 9) of patients had no side effects, 34.48% (n = 10) had one, 24.14% (n = 7) had two, and 10.34% (n=3) had three side effects.  All 29 subjects were still on liraglutide at T1; 79.31% and 48.28% were on liraglutide at T3 and T6.  No significant relationship was found between liraglutide dose and likelihood to continue the medication.  No patient showed a worsening of the psychiatric condition due to liraglutide treatment. Acceptability and satisfaction with treatment were good for the 48% that completed the study. 
Conclusions
Liraglutide treatment was efficacious, accepted and tolerated by approximately 50% of our sample, followed up for a period of 180 days. Larger, longer, controlled, prospective studies are warranted.